Solution
by Dark Ice Dragon
Summary: Storm's troubled by something; Leaf asks him what's wrong. ·Storm/Leaf·


**Summary**: Storm's troubled by something; Leaf asks him what's wrong.

Contains Storm/Leaf.

Ceo is Storm's real name. :)

* * *

><p><strong><strong><strong><strong>Solution<strong>******

By Dark Ice Dragon

* * *

><p>Storm peeked down the corridor, making sure there weren't any women to wink at. There thankfully wasn't any, though he did see Leaf coming around the corner. As soon as Leaf saw him, Leaf smiled and hurried towards his side.<p>

"How are you today, Storm?"

"I'm…all right," Storm hedged, muting a sigh. He was in good health, there was actually less paperwork to do than normal (Sun hadn't stumbled across anything recently, which was mostly the cause for that), and as of yet, nothing stressful had happened. Nothing was wrong.

"You don't seem like it," Leaf said, his brow creasing in concern.

"Well…" Storm bit his lip, glancing around the corridor. It was too public a place to have this conversation. "This way," he said quietly, leading Leaf to his bedroom.

xOx

Storm shut his bedroom door behind him and spared a look at the pile of paperwork sitting on his desk; it had grown from the last time he'd seen it – the handwriting on the top-most paper was different from before, the characters thicker and blockier; Earth had sneaked into his room to place the paperwork onto his again.

When Storm turned his attention to Leaf, the other Knight had seated himself on his usual chair, the one he normally took when he visited, either to make sure Storm ate or had sleep, or just to make sure he had some human contact that was outwith those on paper.

Leaf didn't ask his question again, watching him as he started to pace his room. Suddenly nervous, Storm ran a hand through his hair, not sure how to phrase his words. He stopped and fell into the chair opposite Leaf (for once, not buried under a mountain of books).

"I…" he began slowly. It was so much easier in his head, where things could be more abstract and still understandable!

"You know my reputation," he said helplessly, spreading his hands out in front of him. "If I were to say that I was interested in a person, they would expect-" He cut himself off, his cheeks burning.

"Ah." Leaf was quiet for a few seconds, his face thoughtful. "There's someone you've found...?"

Storm shook his head, brushing his hair away from his face when it fell into his eyes. "No." He shot Leaf a dry look. "When have I had the time to look?"

Leaf hummed, sending him an understanding smile at his answer. "So…you want to meet someone who doesn't see your reputation first, and won't expect…" Leaf waved a hand, saving Storm's ears, for which he was grateful.

Storm huffed a laugh. "That person doesn't exist." Because the 'whole country knew' the Storm Knight was a flirtatious slacker and had been 'knowing' that for thirty-eight generations! Anyone who didn't would soon be corrected.

"That person does." Leaf smiled gently as Storm gaped at him.

"You know – but would they-" The words tumbled out Storm's mouth before he could order them properly. He halted himself, taking a deep breath.

While he calmed himself, Leaf continued on. "I could…have you two meet…?"

Storm's thoughts jumbled all over again. "_Meet?_" he repeated incredulously. "But-" He stopped before he could trip over his words a second time. How did Leaf _know_that person wouldn't think of him as the Storm Knight first, and would be willing to know him as Ceo?

Leaf nodded as he stood up, straightening his clothes, his smile holding absolutely no doubt. "Can you be at the eastern exit of the Holy Temple when the God of Light rests?"

Mutely, Storm nodded, unable to say or even think of anything else as Leaf moved towards his door. "I'm going to be late for an appointment," Leaf said apologetically and guilt flashed through Storm; he'd been holding Leaf up when he had somewhere else to be – Leaf really was like his reputation and hadn't tried to rush him in any way.

"Then I won't keep you," he said. "Thank you for listening to me," he said quietly.

"That's all right." With a smile and a wave, Leaf left and closed the door beside him.

Sighing, Storm went straight to his desk – he had a couple of hours until the God of Light went to sleep, and the paperwork would only accumulate in the meantime.

xOx

He really should keep time better, Storm berated himself as he hurried through the empty corridors (these particular ones were always deserted at this time of day). He'd managed to finish most of the paperwork and it was only after he'd set one particularly difficult document down he realised how close his…_date _(Could he call it that? Meeting? No, that just reminded him of more paperwork) was.

After that was a haze of trying to get ready. _Trying _because he realised that the only other clothes he had other than his Knight-Captain clothes were the ones that he wore when he was helping with uprisings which…weren't really suitable for anything, especially making a good first impression.

Which meant he was going to meet with the person looking like the Storm Knight 'everyone' knew.

Storm really hoped Leaf was right and the person wouldn't think of him as just the Storm Knight.

His heart beating furiously, Storm slowed down as he neared the eastern exit, his stomach twisting around in knots. It was a good thing he'd distracted himself, because he was sure he would have made himself sick if he'd spent all that time worrying!

But, he couldn't not go through the door, even if… Even if… Scrunching up his eyes, Storm took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Right. He'd done worse than open a door. He'd done worse than open a door to a person he would have to – no, he _didn't _have to wink at them. Okay. Okay…

His heart wasn't slowing down in the slightest.

At this rate, he _really _wouldn't be acting like the Storm Knight by the time they saw each other.

Cautiously, Storm opened the door and peeked outside.

No-one was there.

Disappointment crashed through him, and Storm leaned on the wall. He didn't _think_ he was late – the sky was turning pink, barely that dark but maybe he'd heard wrong, maybe he was supposed to meet them _before _the God of Light rested.

Just as Storm was turning away to go back into the church, there was a rustle to his left. Hope rising, Storm waited, watching the corner and saw someone's shadow.

It was Leaf who appeared, who gave him a bright smile.

Ah, he must be checking if they were getting along.

"Sorry I'm late," Leaf flustered as soon as he was within hearing distance, his cheeks pink.

…What?

"I was held up in helping Fire with training and… Storm?"

"_You're_…" Storm was lost for words. "You're the one who…?"

Leaf's smile turned sheepish, and he nodded.

That… Well, Leaf really _would _know if he could see past Storm's Knight persona.

His heart lifting, Storm smiled back at Leaf. "So… Where should we go?"

"Somewhere without paperwork," Leaf answered without a pause, and Storm laughed. Yes, this could actually work out.

* * *

><p>For the 'Storm &amp; Leaf go out on a blind date' prompt for No True Pair. I was happy when I saw I'd drawn this, but then when I started thinking about it, I realised that the only person who'd set Storm up would be Leaf, which then made this prompt very interesting. XD<p> 


End file.
